Audible Levels Up San Diego Comic-Con with Kate McKinnon, Emily Lynne, Matt Dinniman & Jeff Hays

Heads Will Roll, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Bobiverse, Princess Donut, free treats, fan loot, and full-on audio chaos are storming SDCC 2026

Audible is rolling into San Diego Comic-Con 2026 like it found the cheat code, fam.

This year, Audible is bringing two exclusive SDCC panels, an immersive fan activation called the Level Up Lounge, and a Princess Donut food truck experience that sounds ridiculous in the best possible way. We’re talking Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne diving into their medieval comedy series Heads Will Roll, plus Dungeon Crawler Carl author Matt Dinniman and narrator Jeff Hays celebrating one of the biggest audiobook fandoms out there right now.

And yes, there will be XP. There will be loot. There will be donuts. Comic-Con said “regular convention,” and Audible said, “Nah, let’s make this a side quest.”

The Level Up Lounge will let fans step into the worlds of Dungeon Crawler Carl and Bobiverse, two genre-heavy Audible favorites that have built serious fan followings. Attendees can earn XP through interactive experiences, then cash those points in for exclusive prizes and giveaways. Basically, it’s Comic-Con meets RPG grind culture, minus somebody yelling at you in a headset because you missed the objective.

Media will also have access to both exclusive panels, press room roundtables, the Level Up Lounge press preview, and treats from the Princess Donut food truck.

Audible Presents: Goddamnit, Donut — A Totally Professional Panel with Matt Dinniman & Jeff Hays

The Dungeon Crawler Carl madness hits SDCC with author Matt Dinniman and narrator Jeff Hays taking the stage for a panel dedicated to the explosive audiobook series. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, fanbase talk, and a deeper look at how Dinniman’s wild, hilarious, emotionally unhinged LitRPG world transforms into one of the most entertaining audio performances in the game.

Whether you’re a longtime crawler or just dungeon-curious, this panel sounds like one of those SDCC rooms where people walk in casual and walk out asking, “Wait… why am I suddenly obsessed?”

Panel: Date & Time TBA
Location: Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Room TBA
Press Room: Saturday, July 25, 9:00 – 9:45 a.m.
Location: Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Room Indigo 202A
Guests: Matt Dinniman, Jeff Hays
Moderator: Maude Garrett

Heads Will Roll: Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne on Crafting Audible’s Medieval Comedy Mayhem

Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne are bringing their beautifully chaotic Audible Original comedy Heads Will Roll to SDCC for a panel packed with fantasy nonsense, sibling comedy energy, and behind-the-scenes stories from their absurd medieval world.

With season two, Heir Apparent, now available, the sisters will discuss how they built a fantasy comedy universe where queens deal with demonic deadlines, ravens become toads, and everything sounds like Game of Thrones got locked in a room with What We Do in the Shadows and a very questionable royal advisor.

They’ll also talk about working with a stacked cast that includes Carrie Coon, Sam Richardson, Megan Mullally, Richard Kind, Patti LuPone, and more. That’s not a cast list, that’s a comedy buffet.

Panel: Date & Time TBA
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room TBA
Press Room: Saturday, July 25, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 22
Guests: Kate McKinnon, Emily Lynne
Moderator: Britta, Executive Producer of Broadway Video

Audible’s Level Up Lounge

The Level Up Lounge is Audible’s immersive player hub inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl and Bobiverse. Fans can earn XP by participating in themed experiences and redeem those points for exclusive loot.

The activation includes a Bobiverse zone inspired by BobNet, a Dungeon Crawler Carl survival zone where fans can record a Crawler Incident Report, cosplay touchups, listening stations, phone charging stations, photo ops, giveaways, and themed prizes.

Basically, it’s the place where your Comic-Con battery gets charged, your phone gets charged, and your fandom gets dangerously enabled.

Location: Swing Social, 527 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Press Preview: Friday, July 24, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Public Hours: Saturday, July 25, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Princess Donut Food Truck

Audible is also bringing a fully wrapped Princess Donut food truck to the streets of San Diego, handing out free donut holes, custom Audible-branded boxes with QR codes, and exclusive merch for SDCC attendees.

To casual fans, it’s a free snack. To Dungeon Crawler Carl fans, it’s the Donut Holes made edible and mobile. That is either marketing genius or madness. Honestly, probably both.

Featured donut hole flavors include:

Goddamnit, Donut! — Cinnamon chaos with a side of dungeon trauma.

Samantha’s Head — Powdered sugar, ghost-white, and probably judging your entire family tree.

The Desperado Glaze — Vanilla glaze with Princess Donut-approved attitude. Barefoot bipeds, proceed with caution.

Fans should also keep their eyes open for more Dungeon Crawler Carl surprises popping up around San Diego during the convention.

When: Friday, July 24, 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Where: 502 7th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

RSVPs are required for the Level Up Lounge Press Preview on July 24 and the Dungeon Crawler Carl Press Room on July 25.